The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-05-11
Mass Temperance Convention.

The mass county temperance convention
called by the county amendment committee,
met at the opera house in the village of Law
renee, on Wednesday last. About two hun
dred gentlemen and ladies were present
The convention was organized by the cleo
ton of Hon. A. II. Copley of Decatur,
chairman, and G. G. Phillips of Bangor, sec
rotary.
The county committee reported small
balance in the treasury, which was ordered
to be transmitted to the state amendment
committee.
Reports were made by the township COM
mittees of Decatur, Keeier, Hartford, Law
renee, Paw Paw, Bangor, South Haven and
Wayerly. At the conclusion of these reports,
after listening to q communication from Mrs.
Lathrop president of the state w. G. Il. T.,
the convention took recess for dinner.
On reassembling, a committee on resolu-
tons was ordered. The chair appointed IS
such committee, o. w. Rowland, Mrs. NJ.
Beattie, Rev. j. A. Gordon, Mrs. A. II. Young
and Rev. Sheldon Smith.
While the committee on resolutions was
absent for consultation, Mrs. II. Randolph
read set of resolutions which had been pre-
pared for presentation to the meeting of the
county w. c. L. L.. to be held the sane
ganization and the resolutions unanimously
adopted by the convention. They read as
follows:
Res0lCel-That If Van Buren, county the bar :
ner temperance county in Michigan, the credit il
largely due to the influence of the newspapers pub
lished IN the county, all of which, without respect
te political party came ont nobly on the side of the
amendment.
Resolced-That we are proud of our editors and
desire to tender them our hearty thanks for their
m FROM hate n
in the state.
ResOlyed-Thst entreat them not to come
down to a lower plane. but to keep up on the high
road 10 constitutional prohibition.
The committee on resolutions then pre-
sented the following report, signed by all the
members of the committee except Mrs.
Beattie The resolutions were taken up
Sertatim and adopted with but slight modfi-
cations of the original report. A good deal
of discussion was called out by the third
resolution, endorsing the pending Bates bill,
Some seemed to think that to approve such
measure was to abandon prohibition and
take step backward, although the resolu-
tons. as a whole, could only be construed as
strong endorsement of constitutional pro
hibition. The better and, AZ il seemed to
the reporter, the more sensible and practi-
cal view of the situation prevailed and the
resolution, together with the rest of the
report, was adopted as follows:
wHERKAs-The fight for constitutional prohibi-
ton in the state of Michigan has been, temporarily
at least, defeated 10y small majority, obtained by
means OF an immense expenditure OF money by the
saloon and its friends, and by the of other
means disgracefu TO the fair fame of our state:
ResotCed-That we, citizens OF Van Buren, county
in mass convention assembled, do not abandon the
contest but that VIII continue TO work until VIC
tory shall be achieved:
ResoiUed-That we recognize the result OF the vote
~ "A oil do i'm rnft< ha,,
humanity, and that instead Of being discouraged
in the work, see much cause for hope and good
reason 10 expect find victory:
ReSOlDed-That we commend all effort that may
be made looking in the direction of the suppression
OF the evil Of intenperance, the greatest that
ever afflicted our country, and that the provisions of
the bill now before our Legislature, forfeting the
privileges obtained by the payment of the tax and
adding further restrictions meet, far they go,
our hearty approval:
ResoiUed-Thst we ask our representatives, the
Legislature of the state of Michigan that in addition
to the proposed amended tai law, they shall also
enact county local option law, with stringent pro-
visions for the suppression and prohibition of the
traffic IN Intoxicating beverages the same 10 be sub
mtted TO vote of the people Of the several counties
OF the state at special election called for that pur
pose in November next. We believe that, in view
OF the immense majority given for constitutions
prohibition in a large number of counties of the
state, that such Law II the least we can ask and
such law we have q right 10 demand, and that the
legislature viii be derelic In the duty II TO its
constituents IL It does not enact and submit such
statute:
Resolred-Thst while we are willing In the ABB
sence OF q more comprehensive measure, to accept
local option by countless look forward TO the time
when full and complete constitutional prohibition
shall become the settled policy Of every state in the
Union:
ResotUed-That we recognize the " saloon in pol
tics" as n most dangerous element to the peace,
| prosperity and happiness of our people and a. q
standing menace to liberty, freedom and purity Of
the ballot and that will aid every ef fort that in
our Judgment tends TO Its restraint and ultimate
| overthrow:
Resoired-That we are proud of Van Buren, coun-
~, with her magnificent record of 1859 iority in
favor Of constitutional prohibition and that we will
spare effort TO maintain its proud position az the
banner prohibition county Of the state.
The secretary of the convention was in
structed to telegraph the substance of the
resolutions to our representatives at Lansing.
the county committee was discharged from
further service and the convention adjourned
sine de.